West Lothian Council is to invest £132.982 million over the next four years with significant resources invested in the creation of new homes and a strong focus of maintenance of quality standards across existing housing stock.
The Housing Capital Investment Programme for 2024/25 to 2027/28 was approved at a meeting of West Lothian Council on Thursday 22 February alongside the approval of the Housing Revenue Account Budget covering the same period.
Significant resources will continue to be invested in the creation and acquisition of new homes, with budgeted resources of £26.723 million from the overall investment programme. This includes the continuation of the current approved new build housing programme which will deliver a further 112 additional new council houses, including both new build and open market acquisition additions, over the four-year period. The council will continue to support applications that meet required criteria under the Scottish Government Mortgage to Rent Scheme.
£43.239 million will be invested to improve and maintain existing housing, ensuring council homes continue to meet the Scottish Quality Housing Standard (SQHS). In addition, this portion of the budget will help the council meet a range of legislative requirements that require to be met including aids and adaptations, fire safety, electrical safety and management of asbestos.
Statutory compliance works include projects to deliver energy efficiency measures, central heating replacements, aids and adaptations, electrical testing and repair, external wall insulation upgrades and asbestos management projects.
The proposed programme also includes investment to support the removal of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in council housing stock. Early estimates of costs for removal and repairs for identified council properties indicates a budget requirement of £4.3 million and provision has been included in the programme for this work.
£25.564 million is to be invested across fifteen individual projects over the period from 2024/25 to 2027/28. These projects will be a variety of Major Elemental Upgrades consisting of long-term maintenance work, where structural elements such as roof and external walls are beyond economical repair by routine maintenance
Planned programme works to the value of £35.291 million are anticipated to be taking place over the budget period. The works will cover a broad range of activities, including kitchens and bathroom replacements, window and door refurbishments, painting and fencing programmes.
Work, to the value of £1.126 million, will continue on general environmental improvements and external upgrading, including tenant led street improvement projects. Although many works are of a small scale, these projects can have a substantial impact on local amenities and will be informed by council tenants and local communities.
An updated rent strategy for council homes and garages has also been approved by West Lothian Council as part of its Housing Revenue Account Budget. This will help ensure continued investment in council housing infrastructure, improving existing homes and creating new affordable homes.
The rent strategy proposes an annual increase of 3.5% each year from 2024/25 to 2027/28.
This decision has been informed following consultation with the tenants with vast majority of tenants who responded expressing a preference for a 3.5% per annum rent increase over the period.
Executive councillor for services for the community, George Paul, said: "This balanced budget will see continued investment and funding of housing infrastructure, to meet the needs of existing and future tenants.
"The agreed rent increase was informed through consultation with tenants and will allow renewed investment in the Housing Capital Investment Programme, the council continues to maintain quality standards and invest in the suitability and sufficiency of its housing stock to improve the environment within communities and meet the needs of existing and future tenants across West Lothian."
